Poll: 51% of Americans agree with Obama’s support of equal marriage

Majority of the Americans also said Obama's shift in position will have no bearing on how they vote

More than half of Americans have said that they approve of President Obama’s support for equal marriage, though 60% of the respondents also said that this announcement would have no bearing on their voting decisions, according to a Gallup/USA Today poll released this evening.

He made further comments on the issue during the fundraising event at George Clooney’s home yesterday, where he said this was the “logical extension of what America is supposed to be.”

According to the Gallup poll, which surveyed 1,013 adults across the entirety of the US yesterday, 51% agreed with Mr Obama’s support for equal marriage, with 45% disapproving of the new position. Almost 13% said this shift will make them more likely to vote for him, and twice that number said it will make them less likely to vote for him — which suggests that supporters of Mitt Romney feel more strongly about this issue than those of Mr Obama.

However, those who approve of Mr Obama’s new position tend to think the economy is getting better, and 62% of those who disapprove think it is getting worse. The divisions along lines of age, education and religion are consistent with those from other polls.

Speaking to USA Today, the Obama campaign spokesperson, Ben LaBold, refused to comment specifically on the findings, and said: “The president didn’t do this for politics. He did it because it was the right thing to do.”